


Running on Empty

by Cozy_Enigma



Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Cute, Domestic, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:54:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28032708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cozy_Enigma/pseuds/Cozy_Enigma
Summary: After a particularly draining day, you’re ready to just collapse. Luckily you find a sympathetic ear beforehand.
Relationships: The Host/reader
Kudos: 15





	Running on Empty

Today was just one of those days. 

Little things started to pile on top of each other until all you wanted to do was collapse. You'd forgotten to charge your phone the night before. The bus you took to work was late. Don't even get you started on work. It was busy to the point you had to sit in the break room for a few minutes just to breathe. To top it all off, you now had a throbbing headache too.

Now you faced the prospect of the rest of the night already irritable and running on empty. You had stuff you'd planned on doing. Cleaning, chores, hell maybe even something fun for once. 

Sighing, you tossed your keys onto the table and started kicking off your shoes. It took you a minute, probably because of how distracted you were already, but you didn't notice the coat hanging there until you went to put up your own. 

Ordinarily, the Host dropping in would be a welcome treat. The man came and went as he pleased most days. If you were a betting kind of person you might say he had a sense for when you needed the company. Though tonight you had a feeling you were going to be insufferable to be around. 

You found him in his usual spot, curled up on the couch with a book, chin propped up on one hand. It was notoriously difficult to sneak up on the Host and the only time you might have some luck would be if he was lost in a story. Still, the floor creaked under your steps and he lifted his head, lips twitching up into a smile. One that died a rather swift death as soon as he got a read on you.

Feeling guilty about ruining the night before it even began, you tried for a smile. "Fancy meeting you here," you said, more a habit now than anything, "sorry I haven't had much chance to clean-"

You broke off as you turned towards the kitchen, seeing the sink that was very full of dishes this morning remarkably empty and clean. Turning back to the Host, you frowned.

"The Host was bored," he offered, not at all convincing and with far too much satisfaction at seeing you pout.

"You didn't have to do that," you said, moving around to the other side of the couch, "I was gonna do them tonight."

"You were not."

The glare you shot his way was more on principle than anything. You plopped heavily onto the couch beside him, rubbing your temple with a sigh. All at once the day had hit you. Even the prospect of getting up for painkillers was too much effort now.

"The Host assumes today was... less than pleasant?" 

"That's a mild way of putting it," you huffed. "I'm sorry but I don't think I'm good for much other than passing out tonight, Host."

The Host hummed and you closed your eyes, trying to weather through the nausea. You startled a bit when a hand wrapped around your arm. Gentle but apparently quite insistent, the Host pulled you over towards him. That was how you ended up more or less with your head on his lap, his arms settling down around you.

"Gonna read me a bed time story?" You asked with a small huff of a laugh.

"Something like that." You could see the little smile on his face. "It hardly works if your eyes are open though."

You rolled your eyes but went along with it. As soon as you'd shut your eyes, you heard the turn of a page and the Host started to read aloud. You always thought he had a voice for radio. Speaking in low, calm tone, he held the book in one hand while the other found its way to your hair. He didn't pause when you sighed at the feeling of fingers against your scalp.

It was nice to just take a moment. Especially after the day you had, just lying down anywhere at all was a godsend. At first you tried to follow along with the Host's words even though he'd picked up in the middle of whatever he was reading. But eventually it all faded off into background noise, words washing over you like water. 

You didn't even notice when you finally fell asleep. At some point the words stopped though the fingers in your hair kept on. It was a good thing the Host brought a couple different books since you weren't going anywhere for a while.


End file.
